For the last two weeks, I've been feeling run down, and weak. I nearly fainted last week. I get pounding headaches. I've been dealing with a mid-morning sour stomach and all the worst smelling gas I've had in a long time. I've had trouble going to sleep, too. I suspect the lack of sleep and the headaches has to do with summer SAD, but that doesn't explain my other symptoms.

I spoke to a doctor on Just Answer, and he said that it may be anemia, but I started looking at all the foods I eat, and the iron content is good, so that can't be right (right?). I am not pregnant.

Before I spend a fortune going to a doctor, I was wondering if anyone else has similar symptoms. Perhaps a food sensitivity of some sort? Am I eating too much or too little of something?

_________________You know, I was sure she said ducks but drunks makes more sense. Do ducks pee? I don't know. -vixki

I'd go get a full bloodwork panel done.Also, anemia can happen even if you eat iron rich foods. Especially for people who menstruate, it's easy to be depleted in iron. Some people don't absorb iron from foods very well, either. I eat lots of iron rich foods and still need to take iron pills everyday or else I'll get dangerously low. When it gets low, I feel run down, can't concentrate, almost faint, feel hungry often.

_________________Did you notice the slight feeling of panic at the words "Chicken Basin Street"? Like someone was walking over your grave? Try not to remember. We must never remember. - mumblesIs this about devilberries and nazifruit again? - footface

A girlfriend of mine had similar symptoms for years...turns out she had a TON of allergies including gluten, soy, dairy and sesame (that stuff is in practically everything if you eat out a lot)

I would go get blood work done like Paprikapapaya said, and also some allergy tests. Hopefully that kind of stuff is covered on your insurance. I have shitty insurance, and it's covered for me. Just a co-pay for the office visits.

Thanks, guys. I'll go to the doctor and see if I can get blood work done and some allergy tests. But, I have to figure out how to pay out of pocket because I won't have insurance until next spring, which sucks. I guess I can apply for a care credit card...

I never even thought about gluten, and I eat a lot of it. I eat a lot of soy, too. I really hope I'm not allergic. That will seriously screw up my food budget.

edit: It'll cost me about $2,500 for blood work, and allergy tests, I think. That's based on a google search.

_________________You know, I was sure she said ducks but drunks makes more sense. Do ducks pee? I don't know. -vixki

That doesn't sound right at all. I don't know where you are, but I'd go talk to a doctor first of all. That can't be more than a couple hundred at most, and I bet if you look around, you can find a sliding-scale clinic. Go see a doc, and ask about bloodwork. Particularly if you go to a low-income or sliding-scale clinic, they should be able to help you find the cheapest way to get any tests you need done. I know the clinic I used to go to did most bloodwork in-house on the same sliding scale as everything else.

_________________These shitbirds should pay for their own elections if they aren't going to be obligated by any democratic pretense. - MumblesDon't you know that vegan meat is the gateway drug to chicken addiction? Because GMO and trans-fats. - kaerlighed

I did a bit more research, and there are very few health options for a single woman with no kids and a job, but there are options. I just have to figure out which one. If anyone is familiar with Texas healthcare, please help me out. I don't understand much of it.

Meanwhile, here's what I am going to do, and feel free to yell at me if this is a bad idea. Because I recently bought groceries full of soy, gluten and other stuff that may be causing my symptoms, I think I will spend the next week or so recording everything I eat, and recording my symptoms.

When it is time to buy more groceries, I will buy what is needed for an elimination diet, and do a DIY food allergy test. I downloaded instructions. I will continue to keep the journal.

If at any point I get worse, I will see a doctor, and I will actually have some info to give him/her about what's been going on with me. Good idea, maybe?

Again, thanks for the tips and stuff.

_________________You know, I was sure she said ducks but drunks makes more sense. Do ducks pee? I don't know. -vixki

Start a food journal right away and take it to your dr. I am working with a gastro specialist to figure out my awful digestive problems. I am requesting a food allergy test, but I have already had a endoscopy and other bloodwork. The problem with these issues are that so many different things have the same symptoms.

Here's a list of clinics for low income patients in Texas. Hopefully one of these is near you. It's not listed here, but I went to People's Community Clinic in Austin years ago when I was poor and my child needed vaccine boosters for school.

Here's a list of clinics for low income patients in Texas. Hopefully one of these is near you. It's not listed here, but I went to People's Community Clinic in Austin years ago when I was poor and my child needed vaccine boosters for school.

I think it's gluten. I was feeling great, today after cutting out sugar and oil and caffeine. I ate one a piece of cake, and with in 20 mins, all my symptoms were back. Damn. I was hoping that wouldn't be it. I am still going to get a check up.

_________________You know, I was sure she said ducks but drunks makes more sense. Do ducks pee? I don't know. -vixki

UPDATE: Turns out, I am allergic to gluten, and my iron was low. Almost every symptom I've developed in the last few months has disappeared. I've cut out gluten (for the most part) and I am taking iron. I feel great!

_________________You know, I was sure she said ducks but drunks makes more sense. Do ducks pee? I don't know. -vixki

Gluten free baking is great. I started out with gluten free baking. Get the babycakes NYC book. Most of the recipes are gluten free. The banana bread is DIVINE. As for the chocolate chip cookies....... they are the meaning of life.